


Act 3, Scene 2

by lovenojutsu



Category: Hamlet - Shakespeare
Genre: It Was Gay Already To Be Honest, M/M, Same Dialogue But I Made It Gay, Written for a Class, director's cut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14142294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovenojutsu/pseuds/lovenojutsu
Summary: My friend wrote this for a class and actually handed it in for a grade. Enjoy.





	Act 3, Scene 2

After the others leave, Hamlet is left alone. Everything is all ready for the Players, as the play is to begin in a short time. He’s in an auditorium. It’s an empty auditorium, except for Hamlet, and the camera sees it all. There are about 10 rising rows of 30 seats each, with 15 on either end of a staircase, which leads to double doors. High above are two balcony boxes. The seats are lined in red velvet to match the curtain (which is drawn back), the staircase and doors are in black, and the stage at front is made of dark wood. When the players left, only a few dim lights were kept on. The whole atmosphere is gloomy.

Hamlet matches the scene. He looks stressed. He’s standing on the stage, dressed for the play in a three-piece suit. It’s all grey, including the tie. His hair is cropped short. He’s a slight man, but not exactly frail. He’s wearing glasses, which he takes off to polish as he sits down on the edge on the stage with his feet dangling over. Suddenly, there’s a noise from the top of the stairs, and Hamlet swings off the stage. Someone through the doorway up top, but it’s much brighter outside, and we can’t see through the glare. Hamlet is now standing at the bottom the stairs. He puts on his glasses, then waves a hand and yells, “What, ho, Horatio!” The lens flare ceases and we can see Horatio bounding down the stairs, holding a small green boutonniere in his hand. He stops facing Hamlet, with their sides facing the stage and the stairs. Horatio’s a more solidly built man, but he’s not muscular. He’s a little taller. Both of the men would be average alone, but we can see a difference between them. He’s also wearing a suit, but his is navy. He has silver studs in his ears. The door at the top of the stairs sticks, and the room is all of a sudden much brighter.

Horatio gives a bow, too sweeping for it to be totally serious. He comes up smiling. “Here, sweet lord,” he says, and pins the boutonniere on Hamlet. We can now see that it’s a carnation. “At your service.” Hamlet smiles and shakes his head in return. “Horatio, thou art e’en as just a man as e’er my conversation coped withal.” He puts a hand on Horatio’s shoulder, but Horatio brushes it off.

“O, my dear lord,” he begins, but Hamlet cuts him off with a brief kiss, nothing more than a peck on the lips. He puts his hand on his shoulder again, saying, “Nay, do not think I flatter.” Horatio doesn’t remove his hand this time, and Hamlet brings it down to his hand. He leads him back to the stage. “For what advancement may I hope from thee, that no revenue hast but thy good spirits to feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered?” By this time, they’re at the stage, and Hamlet jumps up to sit on it again. Horatio is still standing. Hamlet looks into the empty auditorium. “No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp, and crook the pregnant hinges of the knee where thrift may follow fawning.” As he speaks, Horatio brings himself up onto the stage as well, sitting next to Hamlet as he gestures widely. Hamlet turns to him, still with one hand gesturing outwards, then takes it and strokes it down Horatio’s cheek. His voice gentles. “Dost thou hear?” Horatio nods, but he doesn’t look convinced. Hamlet sighs. He wraps his arm around his shoulder and leans in. He’s still looking forward, though Horatio is turned towards him.

“Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice and could of men distinguish her election, s’hath sealed thee” (here, he briefly pauses and jostles Horatio a bit) “for herself, for thou hast been as on, in suff’ring all, that suffers nothing.” Horatio laughs here, and Hamlet smiles and gets off the stage. He stands directly to the right of Horatio. “A man that Fortune’s buffets and rewards, hast ta’en with equal thanks; and blest are those whose blood and judgement are so well commeddled that they are not a pipe on Fortune’s finger to sound what stop she pleases.” Near the end, he begins to sound bitter, and trails off. This time Horatio is the one to initiate contact, bring Hamlet in front of him and turning him around him look at him. Hamlet keeps his eyes down at first, but then raises them. They make eye contact, foreheads almost touching. The whole world seems to stop, then Hamlet takes a deep breath and begins to speak again. He’s almost whispering.

“Give me that man that is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him in my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart, as I do thee.” They both lean in, Horatio bending down and Hamlet rising on his toes, and it’s impossible to tell who initiates the kiss. It’s much deeper and more sustained than before. It’s deepening, and Hamlet is moving his hands towards Horatio’s waist, when the echo far off voices outside the auditorium. Hamlet startles and jumps back. Horatio gets off the stage, and they stand a reasonable and unsuspicious distance away from each other. “Something too much of this,” Hamlet says, and Horatio nods. Things are about to get serious.


End file.
